Redfaced mousebird orphan South Africa

[tammyp]

Hi! I'm new, and from South Africa.
So, my daughter found a redfaced mousebird that had fallen/jumped out of the nest. At first I didnt know what kind of bird it was or what to feed it, but when I took it outside, it called to its mother who called back, and was flying up and down trying to find its baby. So I put it in a box in the tree where their nest is in the hope that maybe the mom would come and feed it, and to my surprise, the little one scrambled to the top of a branch (unfortunately not the one with the nest). The mom did come and feed it, it was so awesome to watch! But towards evening it must have tried to get up to the nest to be with its family, because we found it at the bottom of the tree again. So I figured the best thing would be to adopt it. Have been feeding it bananas and peaches and mango, and it seems to be doing well.I have found quite a bit of info here and other places on the net, but it would be helpful to find out how old this little one is, and any other advice is welcome, as this is my first time trying to hand-rear a bird!

 

[waterfaller1]

Ok great! You reposted with photos. I will forward this to Susanne as well. He/she is adorable!!!! Susanne has some red faced, blue napes, whitebacks, and speckleds. She is who I got my Gryphon from. She will be able to guess his age by the great pics!

 

[tammyp]

Thankyou!

 

[waterfaller1]

If you would like to do some reading until she wakes up, here is Susanne's site.
Welcome to the wonderfulworld of Mousebirds - HOME

 

[tammyp]

Thankyou! I did actually get the best info on that site, I found it before I found this! my main concern is actually whether I should be feeding him chunks of fruit already or if i should still be feeding puree (which I have been doing with a dropper). I just gave him some bits of tomato which he seemed to enjoy, and when there is a piece of fruit next to him, he takes bits off. After his mom fed him the poop had some pips in from berries,but i dont know if she was feeding him whole berries. I did not know up til 30 minutes ago that I should stimulate the poop, but he did seem to be doing quite well with that on his own, so maybe he's a bit older already?

 

[waterfaller1]

Maybe so...I won't give advice, because really Susanne is the one who will know for sure. She is amazing! Wake up Susanne!!

 

[srtiels]

Ho, and welcome to the forum. here is a link that shows the ages, sizes and weights of a Blue-naped mousebird, so that you use it for a guide to determine the age of your mousebird: Blue-naped Chick Growth - Welcome to the wonderfulworld of Mousebirds I'd say the chick is about 2 weeks old, which is the age it will venture from the nest.

It sounds like what you are feeding and doing for it is good. Yes, in the wild the parents will feed berries, tomatoes, or any type of fruit that is available, and if the fruit contains small seeds the chick will pass them thru the digestive tract.

If it already is trying to bit off chunks of fruit that is good. Keep some fresh fruit for it to nibble on in between the handfeedings.

If you have a heating pad you might want to put it on LOW over one side of the cage or container you are keeping it in so that it has some heat for warmth. Also some small branches paralell to the top of the container so that it could climb on and hang from.

 

[srtiels]

Here is a feeding timetable. If you have a scales that weighs in gram, that would also be helpful to keep track of daily weight gain. For another week or two the chick should be gaining a few grams er day

 

[chompie_puppy]

How adorable!!

I just wanted to point out (I know it might be obvious! ) but Susanne's feeding timetable mentions that the handrearing food should be 100 degrees.

In South Africa they use Celcius so the handrearing formula should be about 36-38 degrees Celcius.

Anyway... carry on! I just didn't want a mistake like that to be made. (Because I almost made that mistake when I first researched handrearing orphaned Swallows while I was still living in South Africa! )

 

[srtiels]

In South Africa they use Celcius so the handrearing formula should be about 36-38 degrees Celcius.

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Thanks Kelsey....good point.

 

[tammyp]

Thanx for your help! As a mom of 3 I figured the food shouldn't be too cold, so I guess I've had that in my favour! I'm so glad that there is so much info available. I don't have access to formula though, so is just the fruit ok? Should I be giving him greens yet?I did try brocolli, but he wouldn't take it.

 

[srtiels]

The fruit is just fine. If you give greens try a leafy green like Romaine. You can clip it to the side of the cage. Also have a layer of sand in the bottom of the cage so that the mousebird can go down and shimmy and clean up in it.

 

[Teresa CTN]

Hi Tammy - where in SA are you from? I was in the same boat a couple of weeks ago with a white backed MB and this forum (the members) have been excellent with their advice. Keep the questions coming - you can't learn enough that's for sure. My dilema at the moment is whether to keep in a cage or set free, especially as the MB's talk to each other and the bigger ones try to get close to the cage. It's a road I'm following and will only know the outcome when it happens but I'm enjoying every moment with my MB (called 'mousey'!!). I have parrots too but this MB is by far the most sociable.... Tell us all your experiences and stories about your bird - it's great that you've been fortunate enough to rescue the little soul and given it a chance in life.

 

[tammyp]

I stay in Boksburg JHB. If I go outside my little one also calls to its parents, but I realised that its best chance of surviving at the moment is with me, as I already tried to let him go back to the nest, but he just ended up on the ground again. As for later, I will cross that bridge when it comes. If I can set him free later it might be better for him, as I am a busy mom of 3, and might not have enough time to give him the attention he needs, as it is my youngest(2yrs) is already jealous... I think you will know when the time comes if you need to set him free or if he will be better off with you!

 

[Sarel]

Welcome to the forum Tammyp! And hello everyone!

What a beauty! Red-face mousebirds come across in southeaster Africa from Tanzania to the Cape and in southwest Africa to the mouth of the Congo according to my Reader's Digest Bird guide.

I'm from SA and happen to be captivated by mousebirds after experiencing a similar ordeal like Tammyp - funny how they find us and not the other way around!

Your birdie looks very young and handsome!

OK... to make things simple feeding wise. At the moment I'm hand raising a Speckled Mousebird, called Ike. Ike use to be about the same age as your birdie (got a name?) Maybe over a week old or so? Still a nestling but developing to a fledgling in no time!

So, from a SA perspective, what works very well is PURITY baby food stuff - always the fruit kind, like banana, apple, vegetables or butternut. I like the idea feeding it with a dropper. Just perfect. Syringes can be so difficult! Sometimes small seeds can't go through!!! You can even widen the dropper's spout a little bit by cutting the tip off in order for more substance to flow easier.

So from Susanne's excellent website one can make nice recipes, but this is what I do and it works for me and with my BUSY SCHEDULE.

In the morning (I start 7am and finish 7pm): Mix 2 kinds of fruit flavors like Purity banana with an apple or butternut flavor. (2 table spoons each) Try to have banana all the time as a neutral base and don't mix only Vitamin Cs together. Add a little bit of yoghurt - 'Fruits of the Forrest' kind. (1 tea spoon) Mix it with 100% pure apple juice (if consistency is too thick). I've got some soft bill parrot fruit sticks which I've grind to a fine texture - this I sprinkle over the mix for more substance?!

Feeding time: I scoop one teaspoon from the mix onto a plate and heat it up in a Microwave for 5 SECONDS! 5! My microwave makes things hot ...and fast, so more than 5 sec things will start to boil! Like the uprising in Egypt!!! Scoop up the content with a spoon into the dropper and feed baby every 45 minutes or an hour. Check Susanne's excellent time table on her website as it grows. Refrain from feeding ice-cold meals directly from the fridge to baby mousebirds. Not good for them. Don't over feed. Do it slowly but I'm sure you got it right being a great mommy (what a lucky bird to find you).

Please wash hands before handling your feathered baby and wash tools afterwards. No cats should be near it.

I keep mine in a small bird cage. You'll be surprise that after about two weeks they fly! I keep Ike safely in a room where no cats can enter.

No need to give water. The juices in the Purity will do.

Keeping as a pet or return it back to the wild... is not what matters. What matters is it's safe handling and care. The matter will arise once the beak's color mature's ... then you'll know what to do. Indeed the chances are good for it to return to its family in your garden, but let's see how it goes for now.

The best thing about hand rearing mousebirds is their fantastic attitude towards humans. They absolutely love people. So feeding and 'pooping' is natural and great fun together with them.

Mine is running through Kleenex papers like you won't believe!

Any way, I will stay in touch on the forum with you! To cut corners, Purity is helpful... even for MB babies

Have fun!

PS: Ike has matured (15 days with me and counting) as 'it' is no longer the same size birdie seen here on the cage! In 15 days Ike's tail has grew from 4cm to 8cm!

 

[tammyp]

Thanx Sarel! I have actually just been feeding Chi-vu-vu (this is what the Sasol book of birds says their call sounds like) mashed up fruit that I already have in the house, especially bananas, apples, mangoes, peaches(which I have in the freezer and just defrost, liquidize and store in the fridge). I also get berries on a tree outside that I've seen the other birds eating, he loves these,like sweets!
He/she is growing nicely, but his tail has not faired so well as my 2year old daughter got hold of it! I'm just worried a little as we all are sneezing and coughing a bit, so I'm trying to keep handling to a minimum. I've got a nice little cage for him, and have put sticks from his birth tree in for him to climb. I hang it outside in the trees once a day for some fresh air (and have noticed a single Indian Minah coming to his cage every day!) He does not call to his family anymore, but he does call to me, and seems to have bonded quite strongly already. If anyone else holds him and I'm nearby he will make every effort (even pretty good attempts at flying)
to get back to me!
So: Just wondering if you or anyone can tell me, are mousebirds at all like parrots which bond just to one person and nobody else?

 

[Sarel]

Hello Tammy, regarding preferences of Mousebirds (MBs) towards people. I can speak and share only from my short experience with them.

MBs hate being isolated or being lonely. They're gregarious type of birdies. If isolated they'll look up for a companion even if it is an old cow in the field!

Both of my MBs likes people and don't show favoritism. However, I've noticed Pike the older one has a brilliant memory. Pike recognizes the voices of individuals. So yes they do get very attached to personalities. Pike like to fly from person to person once people entered the room. So maybe it depends on each birdies personality. Do they bond with a particular person? I'd say possibly, but in my mind they crave company no matter who, as long as they are treated with respect!

Chivuvu is a beautiful name for your MB. Notice that they make that sound when they're happy with things like feeding or being stroke.

MBs do make very good pets. They're extremely loyal and loves people!

If you would like to release Chivuvu later this month, make sure that its family is nearby. See that all pets like dogs or cats are cleared for that momentous occasion. If Chivuvu does not fly out immediately to its family then try another day. Perhaps, Susanne and others should step in with some guidelines concerning the best way to rehabilitate Chivuvu back into the wild.

Have fun

 

[waterfaller1]

My Gryphon does prefer me, but has sat on hubby's hand & shoulder a couple times. Not for long though, and he will fly back and land on my head.